What are the consequences of deleting a user account?

Question

Most websites I have used in the past (including this one) do not offer the option to delete your own account.

I think the main reason is to avoid the shelter of the created elements (or the removal of these elements in a cascade).

Modern sites (like this one) have a place where these items are sent when the account is abandoned (in the case of SO, this is the user " Community ").

In your opinion, what is the rationale for not providing the "delete my account" function?

Security? Laziness? Ignorance? Mistake? Or a function?

We are developing a small web application, and we are discussing just this topic. We cannot find too many reasons, although for the fact that you did not allow the user to delete the account.

Answer 1

This is a pretty broad topic, but some of them I have experienced:

• Accounts can be linked to comments; deleting an account results in comments.
• Accounts can be linked to other systems (community server, authorize.net and blackbox sites) and can be difficult to delete on these
• Cascade as you mentioned
• Prevent user stupidity - accidental deletion is difficult to cancel and even harder on a subscription site
• - , , false.
• - " 85 000 " (.: myspace)

Answer 2

, , ? , , , ? , .

, , . , , , .

Answer 3

. . - , . , , // . , , .

Answer 4

, Udi Dahan, .

The key is to model the task, not the data . Do you really want to invalidate the user (he / she never existed)?

Answer 5

I would say either a lack of foresight or a solution "not worth the effort."

Answer 6

As a user, I want to be able to contact the company and ask to clear my account.